Books about Ukraine

Ukraine is the largest country in Europe. Evolving rapidly, the country offers visitors an unrivalled combination of old and new. Updated throughout, Ukraine highlights towns and villages well off the beaten track, and goes into greater depth than its competitors, with more detail on the history, culture and sights, and more entertaining reviews of hotels and restaurants. The practical information highlights how to get there by bus, rail and boat. The culture section features new writers of independent Ukraine and the history section has been updated to cover all the events that followed Yanukovych’s election in 2010.

Just slightly smaller than Texas, Ukraine is the largest country in Europe. With its rich dark soil and vast fields of wheat, Ukraine is also known as the bread basket of Europe.
Originally published in 1994, this best-selling guide to a scenic and culturally rich country has been completely revised and updated for its fifth edition. With new color photos, maps and sites of interest, along with details about visas and customs, hotels, travel agents, established restaurants, art galleries, shopping and local traditions.This guide offers a goldmine of information for travellers, and shines a light on unspoiled places, while larger cities such as Lviv, Kiev and Odessa are covered in depth. The language section is designed to cover situations encountered by a newcomer to the country, and includes notes intended specifically for students and businesspeople. This book contains useful advice on everything from planning the trip and appropriate gifts for hosts, to proposing to a Ukrainian should you happen to fall in love. An additional section on items that can confuse even the most seasoned traveller to Ukraine, such as abbreviated signage, rounds out this resourceful guidebook.

Palaces that emerge from the mountains, beaches with names like “New World,” ski resort towns straight out of a Bond film, and clubs where passwords must be whispered to enter – it must be Ukraine. A secret favorite of backpackers for years, Ukraine is finally getting recognized by the outside world for what it is: a can’t miss travel destination.

This unique travel guide provides insight into Ukraine’s vast history in a – dare we say – fun way. Travelers will be eased into this Eastern European country’s cultural norms and introduced to its taboos in order to avoid embarrassing cross-cultural no-no’s. With transliterations of all entries, first-hand reviews and recommendations, and a focus on the country’s must-see places and off-the-beaten-path gems, this guidebook will act like your international chaperone; making falling in love with Ukraine that much easier.

The author, Ashley Hardaway, has lived and worked in Ukraine for over two years; getting to know the culture overtime through the slow-burn of a budding relationship. This isn’t merely a one-off observation – this is true love.

– Explore the “secret-city” of Balaclava and tour its hidden nuclear submarine base.
– Blaze new trails in hidden ski towns where military-grade vehicles serve as impromptu ski-lifts.
– Uncover the odd bars of Lviv, its speakeasies and how to get in.
– Sleep in the grandiose apartments of past oligarchs in Odessa.
– Drink horilka with the locals and learn to toast with the best of them.
– Have an existential crisis while touring the deserted town of Prypiat in Chernobyl.
– Learn why Ukrainians fear “the draft,” why not to whistle indoors, and what is meant by a flick of the neck.

Lonely Planet Ukraine is your passport to all the most relevant and up-to-date advice on what to see, what to skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Descend into catacombs to see mummies in Kyiv, hike to Ukraine’s highest peak – Mt. Hoverla, or watch the old Soviet-era trams rumble past in Lviv; all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of Ukraine and begin your journey now!

Inside Lonely Planet’s Ukraine Travel Guide:

Colour maps and images throughout
Highlights and itineraries show you the simplest way to tailor your trip to your own personal needs and interests
Insider tips save you time and money, and help you get around like a local, avoiding crowds and trouble spots
Essential info at your fingertips – including hours of operation, phone numbers, websites, transit tips, and prices
Honest reviews for all budgets – including eating, sleeping, sight-seeing, going out, shopping, and hidden gems that most guidebooks miss
Cultural insights give you a richer and more rewarding travel experience – including customs, history, Chernobyl, art, literature, sport, music, architecture, politics, and cuisine
Over 45 maps
Coverage of Kyiv, Crimea, Lviv, Odesa, Yalta, Kamyanets-Podilsky, Chernihiv, Uman, Poltava, Transcarpathia, Podillya, Polissya, Ternopil, Kolomyya, Bakhchysaray, Sudak, Ploshcha Rynok, Andriyivsky Uzviz, Bukovyna, Lutsk, Southern Bessarabia, and more

This revised and updated edition of Culture Smart! Ukraine reveals a country in the throes of change. The euphoria of the famous Orange Revolution has vanished. The momentum for reform has been checked and the forces of authoritarianism have returned. Even so, modernization continues apace and people are eager to be seen as European.

The recent political instability highlights the contradictions of Ukrainian society. Ukrainians are proud of their roots, and reticent about the traumas of their past; the country participates in international space programs and produces the world’s largest aircraft, but still lives in a world of superstitions.

The Ukrainian way of life is intertwined with ancient customs, the old Soviet legacy, and the search for a new European identity.
What strikes visitors to this fascinating and important country is the heady mix of ancient history and youthful energy, the resilience of the people, and their generosity of spirit. For the twentieth anniversary of its independence, Ukraine received quite a present—hosting the key matches of Euro 2012. Now it has a game of its own: to show the world that it is a serious player.

This new edition of Culture Smart! Ukraine will enable you to visit the country with open eyes. It describes the history that has shaped the Ukrainian psyche, explains present-day values and attitudes, and offers practical advice on what to expect and how to behave. It aims to make you feel at ease, whether you are shopping in a market, dining out, or attending a business meeting.